With the creation of the 'Open Invention Network,' the founders hope to
speed the adoption of Linux and more readily threaten Microsoft's iron
grip on the OS space.
By Carl Bender - November 10, 2005

Today brought with it the announcement of a new corporate entity
founded by IBM, Philips, and Sony to protect and speed the adoption of
Linux through the buy-up and royalty-free licensing of a number of
software patents. Dubbed OIN, for Open Invention Network, the entity
already enjoys the cooperation and membership of premier Linux
distributors Novell and Red Hat.

The ultimate goal of the OIN initiative is to locate and purchase any
number of software patents that may be seen as a potential source for a
lawsuit down the line against any profitable distributors and users of
the Linux operating system. As an example, SCO has been engaged for
several years in a lawsuit against IBM claiming just such an
infringement, and this lawsuit could probably be seen as one of the key
catalysts for forming such an initiative as the Open Invention Network.

Microsoft presently uses this very line of reasoning when attempting to
dissuade corporate customers from going to the open-source movement,
pushing the notion that such operating systems such as Linux might open
up their users to potential legal troubles.

In a sense, by 'securing' Linux legally as a viable and risk-free OS
for customers to use, the thinking is that adoption will be greatly
facilitated throughout the corporate space. Retired IBM VP of IP Jerry
Rosenthal has assumed the CEO role at the Open Invention Network and
has claimed that the well-funded group already has all that it needs in
order to go forth and accomplish it's mission.

Sony's role in the alliance certainly stands out, implying a strategic
push at the company to spread the adoption of Linux, and perhaps in
tandem, adoption of it's new Cell architecture.

09-30-2007, 06:39 PM

unix

Re: Sony, IBM, and Philips Create a Linux Alliance

multi-core wrote:
[color=blue]
> Sony's role in the alliance certainly stands out, implying a strategic
> push at the company to spread the adoption of Linux, and perhaps in
> tandem, adoption of it's new Cell architecture.[/color]